Category Archives: South Yarra

It is often said that the City Council should be given back its planning powers? But should it? The Council should not be judge jury and legislator.

The Council should be the administrator and have planning authority to determine the strategic plans for a city but it should not the the decider or interpreter of the planning scheme. May councils do not have the skill or professionalism to determine what is good and what is bad. Any limitation and restrictions should be spelt out in the planning scheme. A scheme which the City Council should have limited control over.

The Council should be an advocate on a planning decision but not the judge. To this extent the idea of decisions being made by professional planning authorities is a good one. But the authority MUST consider and interpret the planning scheme in force correctly. It the scheme is failing to address issues of broad community concern then it should be amended and the deciding body must reflect on those controls.

All too often we see the City Council itself ignore their won rules and guidelines like the time when Steven Mayne, Deputy Chair for the Planning portfolio ties to circumvent and ignore height limits that have been in force in the city for decades. Planning on the run at a whim must be avoided at all costs

More often than not we also see the City Council pt up a pretense to fight an application when in fact they do not oppose it but do so for a variety of reasons one being community political pressure.

Ron Adams and Geoff Lawler are classic examples of administrators that ignore the planning scheme when it suits them. The City Council has failed to incorporate policies designed it protect Melbourne Victorian Verandahs with Rob Adams actively seeking to allow balconies projecting over the foot path destroying the historic street scrapes. his is an area where the City Council has absolute control as the building projects over public space,

Concerned at the loss of heritage and the impact it has on the Victorian Street Scape the City of Melbourne commissioned, be it reluctantly a document on Lygon Street verandahs. A policy that has been forgotten and not included in the latest planning review.

Anther example of slight of hand is the failure of the City Council, Geoff Lawler in particular to act to protect the amenity in Domain Rd. South Yarra. The changes in State planning that have been forced on the City Council means that the Domain Road precinct has now been classified as a Commercial One Zone (C1Z) “Upgraded: from a Business one zone (B1Z). The new C1Z planning zones come with an as of right use for licensed premises where the former planning

The Domain Rd precinct was designed to facilitate the needs to the adjoining residential precinct.but over the years the amenity of this precinct has been allowed to deteriorate, with the Council doing noting to protect its use and development. Under the old planning scheme licensed premises needed a planning permit. Under the new C1Z scheme retail premises no longer need a planning permit ad has a as of right use. Licensed premises falls under the definition of retail premises and such such they too do not need a planning permit. Night clubs tavern and the like where restricted before the amendment now they can be established without the need to even apply for a planning permit

Clem Newton Brown has been called on to act and to have licensed premises removed from the definition of retail premises. Something that Clem has failed to act on, His inability to represent the local residents is an issue that is of considerable concern and one that has not gone unnoticed. Residents in South Yarra have indicated they will campaign against him should he not address this issue

But it is not just Clem’s issue, The City of Melbourne also has responsibility for this issue and they have done nothing. Geoff :Lawler was oblivious of the changes which effect not only South Yarra but North Melbourne, Carlton, East Melbourne and a host of other prec9incts that now fall under the provision of the new planning zones.

The City Council has placed in the too hard basket planning South of the Yarra, .South Bank has no provision for servicing residential amenity and South Yarra is in decline. It is just not of any interest to the City Planners who are looking to be engaged in newer more challenging developments such as Docklands and the Fisherman’s bend precincts. South Yarra dd not even get a mention in the City Council’s five year plan and budget.

I would not hold my breath thinking that the ALP will address these issues either. They have been absent form the community debate for decades and have done nothing.

The Age has published two articles by Jason Dowling and Clay Lucas that highlight problems with City of Melbourne planning and urban design. Issues that the the City has failed to tackle.

Ask any resident in South bank or South Yarra and they will tell you that the lack of basic amenity and infrastructure is the main drawback of inner city living south of the Yarra

There is no central focus for daily shopping in South Bank The City Council has allowed the Domain Road precinct to deteriorate to the point where it no longer fulfills its intended use.

Most notably is the lack of quality delicatessens or small supermarkets. There are numerous seven elevens and a few small convenience stores that provide milk and basics. Residents of South Bank and South Yarra are forced to either travel to South Melbourne or Prahran to buy daily produce South Bank lacks a residential amenity commercial precinct or square. What business there are cater for the office workers not residents. This lack of amenity and planning has an impost and cost on inner city living.

The decline in Domain Road and other inner city residential commercial precincts are expected to further deteriorate as a result of inactivity and failure to act in behalf of the City Council. The changes to planning schemes introduced by the Minister in July 2013 will only exacerbate the decline further . The shift from Business 1 zones to Commercial 1 zones will remove controls over planning and development designed to inner city residential development.

It comes as no surprise that the article in the Age reports that up to 8% of houses surveyed are empty.

The CIty Council has wiped its hands freom responsibility to plan or develop South of the Yarra. the recent budget and 4 year plan has no projects or expenditure spent on South of the Yarra. The Council Urban design team and planners have abandond this poart of teh city for the new precincts and new projects. Projects such as Docklands and Gishermans Bend that are also doomed to fail in the same way as South bank has. As long as property hold and increase their value the Council will ontinue ti hide in the shadow of inactivity and complacently and Inner City remain captive to the car as a node of transport. Eff9rts by the City Council to lock down the city by exempting developers from car p0arking requirements without a fee will not help. Money collected from a car0-parking levy could and should be used to encourage more development of amenity and supporting residential use.

Rob Adams and Geoff Lawler and the City Urban Design and Planning departments turning a blind eye and ignoring the problems will not make it any better. Part of the problem is the organisational disconnect between the two departments.

Independent Candidate and South Yarra Resident, Anthony van der Craats, has expressed concern that residents South of the Yarra are being ignored and unrepresented. Southbank, St Kilda Road and South Yarra residents are located in part of the electorate that is poorly serviced by the City Council and stuck between two to three State and Federal electorates. More often than not we are ignored by all three teirs of government.

Mr van der Craats who moved from North of the Yarra to the Southern side said part of the problem is that there is no local newspaper that covers the whole of the city and as such we are cut out of the debate and community discussion which does not include residents on the South side of the City

With most city councillors and candidates seeking election to the Melbourne City Council not living in the municipality there is little wonder why residents on the South side are ignored.

There is little infrastructure development and and proper planning. South Yarra, Domain Road in particular is suffering as a result. The City of Melbourne Council’s planning system as failed the local community.

Instead of development that is needed we are facing increasing pressure and proposals for the establishment of bars and night clubs in what is primarily a residential precinct. “The last thing we need is another bar or night club in Domain Road”.

We have lost our local butcher and local post office and lack good quaility amenities and shops. The one thing we need the most is a quaility deli and produce store all we have left is a small fruit shop and a Seven Eleven. A quality local delecatesian that can provide good cheeses, meat and produce is much needed. Instead of food we get bars and night clubs and with it the problems associated with them. Enough is enough.

Independent Candidate and South Yarra Resident, Anthony van der Craats, has expressed concern that residents South of the Yarra are being ignored and unrepresented. Southbank, St Kilda Road and South Yarra residents are located in part of the electorate that is poorly serviced by the City Council and stuck between two to three State and Federal electorates. More often than not we are ignored by all three teirs of government.

Mr van der Craats who moved from North of the Yarra to the Southern side said part of the problem is that there is no local newspaper that covers the whole of the city and as such we are cut out of the debate and community discussion which does not include residents on the South side of the City

With most city councillors and candidates seeking election to the Melbourne City Council not living in the municipality there is little wonder why residents on the South side are ignored.

There is little infrastructure development and and proper planning. South Yarra, Domain Road in particular is suffering as a result. The City of Melbourne Council’s planning system as failed the local community.

Instead of development that is needed we are facing increasing pressure and proposals for the establishment of bars and night clubs in what is primarily a residential precinct. “The last thing we need is another bar or night club in Domain Road”.

We have lost our local butcher and local post office and lack good quaility amenities and shops. The one thing we need the most is a quaility deli and produce store all we have left is a small fruit shop and a Seven Eleven. A quality local delecatesian that can provide good cheeses, meat and produce is much needed. Instead of food we get bars and night clubs and with it the problems associated with them. Enough is enough.

Independent Candidate and South Yarra Resident, Anthony van der Craats, has expressed concern that residents South of the Yarra are being ignored and unrepresented. Southbank, St Kilda Road and South Yarra residents are located in part of the electorate that is poorly serviced by the City Council and stuck between two to three State and Federal electorates. More often than not we are ignored by all three teirs of government.

Mr van der Craats who moved from North of the Yarra to the Southern side said part of the problem is that there is no local newspaper that covers the whole of the city and as such we are cut out of the debate and community discussion which does not include residents on the South side of the City

With most city councillors and candidates seeking election to the Melbourne City Council not living in the municipality there is little wonder why residents on the South side are ignored.

There is little infrastructure development and and proper planning. South Yarra, Domain Road in particular is suffering as a result. The City of Melbourne Council’s planning system as failed the local community.

Instead of development that is needed we are facing increasing pressure and proposals for the establishment of bars and night clubs in what is primarily a residential precinct. “The last thing we need is another bar or night club in Domain Road”.

We have lost our local butcher and local post office and lack good quaility amenities and shops. The one thing we need the most is a quaility deli and produce store all we have left is a small fruit shop and a Seven Eleven. A quality local delecatesian that can provide good cheeses, meat and produce is much needed. Instead of food we get bars and night clubs and with it the problems associated with them. Enough is enough.